Jamaica
Jamaica remains on the Watch List in 2015. The United States is watching the progress of proposed amendments to the Broadcasting and Radio Re-diffusion Act that would appear to permit advertising from local entities on the channels of foreign cable operators with the permission of content providers, which may lead to regulatory challenges and be difficult to enforce. In the area of copyright, Jamaica is one of several Caribbean countries with deficiencies related to protection and enforcement. (See Section I). For several years, Jamaica has been identified by rights holders as one of the region's most problematic markets with respect to the unlicensed and uncompensated cablecasting and broadcasting of copyrighted music. Jamaica maintains a statutory licensing regime for the retransmission of copyrighted television programming but has not consistently enforced the payment of statutory royalties to rights holders. Jamaica has, however, taken some steps to ensure that its regulatory agencies are monitoring broadcasting entities. The United States also continues to encourage Jamaica to adopt the long-awaited Patent and Designs Act, which has been under review for nearly a decade, and notes the recent developments with respect to copyright law amendments. The United States looks forward to working with Jamaica to address these issues.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago remains on the Watch List in 2015. The United States continues to urge the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to enforce the copyright provisions of its cable license agreements against cable operators who refuse to negotiate with the Copyright Music Organization of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT), the local performing rights organization, for compensation for public performance of music, including for music written by American composers. In one case involving a cable operator, the judicial authorities have not completed the appeal hearing nor assessed royalties owed to COTT four years after the court decision in COTT's favor. The United States urges the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to take all necessary actions to ensure that the terms of such licenses be fulfilled or that those licenses be terminated. These issues affect not only American artists but Caribbean artists as well. The United States looks forward to working with Trinidad and Tobago to address these issues.
South America
Bolivia
Bolivia remains on the Watch List in 2015. While Bolivia's legal framework addresses IPR, the lack of adequate enforcement has been a consistent problem. Stakeholders report that prosecutors rarely file criminal charges, civil suits face long delays, and customs authorities lack personnel and budgetary resources. Video, music, and software piracy rates are among the highest in Latin America, and rampant counterfeiting persists. On a positive note, governmental institutions reportedly have increased their acquisition of legal software, leading to a slight
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